Adjustable lawn sprinkler



MalCh 1.3, 1951 l T. A. BARHAM, SR l 2,544,773

ADJUSTABLE LAWN SPRINKLER Filed Dec. 7, 1949 d III v' Inventor A ttorney Patented Mar. 13, 1951 y f' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLELAWN SPRINKLER Theophilus A. Barham. Sr., Norfolk, Va.

Application December 7, 1949, Serial No. 131,671 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-82)This invention relates to a novel construction of lawn sprinkler capableof being used with either a rotary or stationary sprinkler head or witha hose nozzle and by means of which a stream of water` may be directedtherefrom either horizontally, vertically, or at any angle between ahorizontal and a vertical plane for directing Water from the sprinklingdevice in any particular area.

A further object of the invention is to provide 'a device of theaforedescribed character of ex- -tremely simple construction which maybe economically manufactured and sold and which is ,so mounted that itmay be drawn along the :ground or over a lawn for changing the location"of the sprinkler without actually grasping the sprinkler thus enablingthe sprinkler to be moved from one position to another without shuttingoil the supply of water-thereto.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler whichis so constructed that it may be arranged in series with -a number ofcorresponding sprinklers and with hose sections interposed therebetweenfor simultaneously ,watering a relatively large area.

the sprinkling device taken substantially along' a plane as indicated bythe line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line fl-l of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view ltaken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel lawn sprinkler inits entirety is designated generally l5 and includes a bridge-likesupporting member, designated generally 'I comprising a substantiallyrigid plate which is disposed transversely of the longitudinal axis ofthe sprinkler 6 and which includes a transversely extending intermediateportion or platform 8 which terminates rin downwardly and outwardlyinclined portions Si each of which has an upturned end I0 forming aflange which is disposed in downwardly offset relationship to theplatform 8 and substantially parallel thereto. The flanges Ill rest uponthe intermediate portions of a pair of runners or ground engagingmembers II and are secured thereto by rivets or other suitablefastenings l2. The runners l I are thus held by the supporting member lis laterally spaced relationship to one another. The runners II aredisposed substantially parallel and extend longitudinally of thesprinkler 6 and have upturned end portions i3 which are spaced aconsiderable distance from the supporting member l. As seen in Figures 2and 3, the runners II may be channel-shaped in cross section and withthe channels thereof disposed to open downwardly.

A pipe or conduit i4 extends longitudinally of the sprinkler 6 andtransversely across the platform 8 and is held in engagement with theupper side of said platform by two strap members I5 and IE5 which engageover portions of the conduit I4. The ends of the strap member I5 areturned outwardly and secured to the upper side of the platform 8 byrivets or similar fastenings il. The strap I6 likewise has outturnedends disposed above the platform 8 and one of which is secured theretoby a similar rivet or fastening I8. The other outturned end I9 of thestrap l is provided with an aperture 2li and the portion of the platformdisposed therebeneath is provided with an aperture 2i. A headed bolt 22extends downwardly through the apertures 2li and 2l and is threadedlyengaged, preferably by a wing nut 23 which bears against the under sideof the platform 6. The straps I5 and I6 frictionally engage the portionsof the conduit I4 t over which they are disposed and frictionally holdsaid portions in engagement with the platform 8 for` resisting rotationof the conduit I4 on its longitudinal axis and relatively to said strapsand platform. In order to compensate for wear and loss of thisfriotional engagement, the bolt 22 and nut 23 is provided so that thenut 23 can be tightened for drawing the strap l downwardly into tighterAfrictional contact with the conduit ld to maintain a proper amount offrictional resistance to rotation of the conduit. The conduit I4 isprovided intermediate of its ends and between the strap members I5 andI6 with an integral transversely extending branch conduit 24 whichterminates in an externally threaded nipple 25. One end of the conduitI4 terminates in a corresponding externally threaded nipple 26 and theopposite end of said conduit terminates in a swivelly mountedintern-ally threaded socket nut 2l, corresponding to the usual swivelnut of a garden hose and which is adapted to be connected to theexternally threaded or male nipple end 28 of length of garden hose 29.The nipple 2G may be connected to the female end, not shown, of anothersection of garden hose for connecting a plurality of the sprinklers 6 inseries or said end 26 may be closed by an internally threaded cap 31),as illustrated in Figure 4.

In Figure 1 a conventional sprinkler head 3| oi the type which isadapted to be revolved byl water being discharged therefrom is shownmounted on the branch conduit 24 by a swivel nut 32 engaging the nipple25. Ordinarily the branchy conduit 2li would be disposed in annuprightposition with a rotary sprinkler 3i applied thereto but it will bereadily apparent that the conduit i4 may be turned for positioning itsbranch 24 .at any angle between a vertical andra horizontal position,for utilizing the sprinkler head 3l Where the runners H are resting onan uneven surface or where it is desired to direct the spray from thesprinkler head 3i away from a building, side- `walk or other area.

It will likewise be readily apparent that a conventional nozzle as shownat 33 in Figure2 may be substituted for the sprinkler head 3l andattached in a conventional manner to the threaded nipple for directing aspray ci water upwardly in, a vertical direction with the conduitportion 2li disposed in an upright position as seen in Figure 2, or byturning the conduit la within the strap members l5 and lr6, the conduitYportion 24 may be swung either to the right or to the left from itsvertical position throughan arc of approximately 90, as indicated by thearrows: 34 and broken lines 35 of Figure 2 for directing the water fromthe nozzle 33 laterally in either direction and at any desired anglewith respect to the sprinkler 6. The runners Il having the upturned endsI3 enable the sprinkler 6 to be pulled along the. ground or across alawn bythe hose 23, which leads to a source of Awater supply, not shown,for changing the location and/or direction of the sprinkler 6 withoutnecessitating the shutting off of the water supply thereto 4so that thesprinkler can be manually grasped and moved.

Various modications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter dened by the 'appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

1. 'A support for a rigid lawn sprinkler conduit having a horizontalportion and' a transverse vbranch portion, comprising a base including apair of runners having upturned ends and' a bridge member disposedtransversely of the runners having ends secured to the intermediateportions of the runners and connecting the runners in spaced parallelrelationship, said bridge member having a relatively wide upwardlyoffset intermediate portion adapted to supportthereona horizontalportion of a rigid lawn sprinklerfconduit which has a transverselyextending branch portion intermediate of its ends, strap membersengaging over the horizontal conduit portion on either side of thetransverse branch portion, said strap members being spaced transverselyof the bridge member and longitudinally with respect to the runners forpositioning the horizontal conduit portion substantially parallel to therunners, and fastenings connecting the ends of the straps to theupwardly oiset intermediate bridge portion, said straps having a limitedfrictional engagement with the horizontal conduit portion whereby saidportion may be turned relatively to the bridge member to swing thetransverse branch portion through an arc of approximately "A in avertical plane and transversely of the longitudinal axes of the runners,certain of the fastenings being adjustable to vary the grippingengagement of the straps with the horizontal conduit portion.

2. A support for a lawn sprinkler comprising a base including a pair 'orrunners having upturned ends and a bridge member extending transverselybetween the runners having ends secured to the intermediate portions ofthe runners and connect,- ing the runners in spaced parallelrelationship, said bridge member having an upwardly offset intermediateportion disposed above andl between the runners, a rigid lawn sprinklerconduit1` having a straight portion resting on the upwardly offsetintermediate portion of the bridge member and supported thereby above,between and longitudinally of the runners and in a plane substantiallyparallel to the plane of the runners, said straight conduit portionhaving a transverse branch portion intermediate of its ends, a pair ofstrap members engaging over said straight-conduit portion and disposedone on either side of the transverse branch portion, and 'asteningsconnecting the ends of the straps to the upwardly olset intermediatebridge portion, said straps having a limited rictional engagement withthe straight conduit portion whereby said portion may be turnedrelatively to the bridge member to swing the transverse branch portionthrough an arc of approximately 180 in a vertical plane and transverselyof the longitudinal axes of the runners, certain of said fasteningsbeingadjustable to vary the gripping engagement of the straps with thestraight conduit portion, the upturned ends of said runners beingdisposed beyond the ends of said straight conduit portion.

THEOPHILUS A. BARI-IAM, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Y 564,610- Gill July 28, 1-896581,876 Aulls May 41-89'7 671,485 Johnston Apr. 9, 1.901

`1,089,179 Zeyssolfr^ Mar. 3, 1914 1,866,844 De Vos July 12,19322,124,551 Friedman et al. M July 26.19.38

